Football Daily | Newcastle’s ‘rock star’ plays the hits but will he find it hard to stay in Toon?

<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/info/2022/nov/14/football-daily-email-sign-up"><strong>Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!</strong></a></p><p>As rallying cries for the dawn of a golden era go, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/11/matthias-jaissle-eddie-howe-newcastle-united-manager-unveiling-st-james-park">“I am quite optimistic”</a> is not “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. It did not fit the “I think I am a special one” template set 22 years ago by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/aug/11/mourinho-review-if-he-didnt-want-to-open-up-maybe-he-shouldnt-have-starred-in-a-docuseries">Netflix’s latest documentary subject</a>. Nor did Matthias Jaissle’s unveiling as Newcastle manager meet the pre-match billing of “fire” and “a rock star” that the club’s chief suit had promised the journalists in attendance. Though, considering the summer of tumult on Tyneside, it was a sensible path to take. Expectations among the Toon Army have certainly lowered since Geordies sunk Tin and donned tea-towel headdresses in celebration of Mike Ashley’s departure and the arrival of a consortium underpinned by the petrodollars of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. As it turned out, Lionel Messi neither ended up mowing the pitch nor selling the pies.</p><p>Bob Cushion (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/11/football-daily-email-liverpool-jeff-bezos-and-co">yesterday’s letters</a>), your football club was caught cheating. Your club deserves everything it gets. Oh and no, I’m not a Pompey fan” – Darren Dodd.</p><p>As a Wolves fan may I express gratitude to Wrexham and Southampton for preventing us from starting the season in last place. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/championship/table">Alth